BRARA General Membership Meeting minutes for 1-October-2024
The BRARA monthly association meeting was held using Zoom conference. There were 51 attending via Zoom. The meeting was called to order by BRARA President Ralph Mele W1DAR at 6:29 pm local. Tonight’s speaker is Rick DeTar, Emergency Program Coordinator for the Palm Beach County (PBC) Division of Emergency Management – Public Safety Department. Also scheduled is Dolph Holmes, WA2NTW, who has been providing CERT training for the Palm Beach County (PBC) Division of Emergency Management.
Board members present: Ralph W1DAR, Bruce KO4XL, Mike K8BQ, Bonnie KC2JVS, Henry WA2ROA, Jay S N2ELG
Secretary: Mike K8BQ
Mike has posted the September minutes to the BRARA Blog. Ralph, W1DAR made a motion to accept the minutes. Jay S, N2ELG seconded the motion to accept the minutes. The motion carried. New members Tom McClain N3HPR and Terry McClain N3LKW. Current membership is 148.
Treasurer: Bonnie KC2JVS
Treasurer’s Report September 30, 2024
December 31, 2023 Available Balance $12,927.58
August 31, 2024 Available Balance $11,685.69
September 30, 2024 Available Balance $10,616.92
Income: $172.03
Income includes $72.03 in memberships and $100 in donations
Not included: $675 in memberships and $10 in donations not cleared
Expenses: $1,240.80
Expenses include: : $367.64 for Directors’ Insurance, $110.67 for outside shack electrical repair, $2.23
for postage, $651.43 for Spring Radiator Grille, $18.40 misc. at Home Depot, $53.22 for air conditioner
filters, and 37.21 for batteries for repeater laptop and adapter for station 1.
Not included: thermostat replacement for air conditioner of $525, and radio purchase for $2,200 and
quarterly electric bill of $418.03 for a total of $3,143.03
Above amounts include reserve funds of $5,000.
Balance available for operating capital after deposits and expenses clear: $3,158.89
Director at Large: Bruce KO4XL
Repeater status update. Over the past year we have replaced the two meter repeater, amplifier, and duplexer. We also have replaced the antenna and upgraded the transmission line to LDF4-50. The Board has voted to bring in someone to tune the duplexer since the SWR is higher than expected. We also have to program transmit CTCSS. The DMR repeater link appears to have failed at the FAU side. Our FAU contacts familiar with the installation are no longer there. The board has authorized purchasing a 5G WIFI wireless router like we did for the Shack with both wireless and Ethernet connectivity.
Jan, KK3W donated a small computer for Station 1. We will be transitioning the Shack computers from wireless to wired networking.
Director at Large: Jay S N2ELG
Still accepting items for the auction. Looks like it will be in the spring.
President: Ralph W1DAR
A fan dipole for station 4 was ordered to cover 6 through 80 meters including the WARC bands, BRARA has purchased an ICOM 7610 at a $1000 discount. We’ll sell the 7600 in Station 1 to recoup some of the cost.
Vice President: Henry WA2ROA
20 people attended the September lunch at Mama Mia’s. Upcoming lunches are at Casa Tequila on 10/19. The Radiator Grille is planned for 11/16 with a $5 donation requested. Possible holiday lunch at Lucilles at the Delray Marketplace 12/14. There is no regular December meeting.
Adjournment:
Motion to adjourn by Bruce KO4XL, seconded by Henry. Meeting adjourned at 6:58 pm.
Speaker: Rick DeTar
Paul Chalson, WA2FOF introduced Rick. There wasn’t time for Dolph’s presentation.
Respectfully submitted,
Mike Greenfeld K8BQ, Secretary